Lastly, it should be remembered that many individuals without dyslipidemia take niacin as a preventative measure. If you plan to take more than about 800 mg of niacin a day, it is a good idea to have your liver tested periodically just to make sure that your liver has no problem with high-dose niacin. These liver tests are the same used to check for liver toxicity in people taking statins, from which there is a higher likelihood of liver toxicity compared to taking niacin. The principal problem from taking statins is muscle damage which is serious enough to be life-threatening. This problem does not occur with those who take niacin. Not to be forgotten, niacin has been found to prolong orgasm.
Much of the evidence shows high rates of vitamin D deficiency in patients with erectile dysfunction. In fact, one study of 3,400 participants found that men with vitamin D deficiency were 32% more likely to have trouble with erections when all other risk factors were controlled for. It’s a little on the nose that you need vitamin D for your “D,” but hey—science can be funny too.
Along with promoting overall health, a sufficient daily magnesium intake can help significantly if you take zinc to promote healthy erectile function or to help alleviate ED. Zinc is often recommended as a natural ED remedy, particularly for men who have a zinc deficiency, according to MayoClinic.com. Magnesium helps regulate zinc levels in the body to support healthy erectile function. Herbs, vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, haven’t been widely studied in terms of their true benefits for men with ED or other erectile problems, but maintaining adequate levels of essential vitamins and minerals may help a doctor narrow down the cause of such problems.
Hypovitaminosis may occur due to adherence to a monotonous diet that implies refined grain products’ eating; excessive consumption of carbohydrates and proteins; chronic alcoholism; abuse of beer; sufficient and long-term consumption of raw fish (carp and herring); heavy physical work and nervous tension; exposure to heat or cold; chronic bowel disorders; diabetes; and thyrotoxicosis. The symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency include decreased appetite, nausea, constipation, headaches, irritability, memory loss, peripheral polyneuritis, tachycardia, labored breathing, precordialgia, and muscle weakness.
Thank you for posting this. The exact same thing happened to me, My Dr. recommended Niacin to reduce LDL and increase HDL. Trouble is I noticed my sex life really dropped quickly. Very rare to get and maintain an erection. I couldn't quite tell but it seemed to me the problems started a couple of weeks after I began the Niacin. Out of desperation I quit Niacin to see what would happen and suddenly the full and regular erectiions came back. Everything I read says the effect should be the opposite. Now I have to decide do a die earlier of heart disease and have more sex or better cholesterol control with a diminished and almost non-existent sex life. Pretty sure I'm gonna favor the sex life!
In the New World, maize was traditionally treated with lime, an alkali now shown to make niacin nutritionally available and thereby reducing the chance of developing pellagra.1 However, when in the 18th century corn cultivation was adopted worldwide, treatment with lime was not accepted because the benefit was not understood. Thus in the New World, often heavily dependent on corn, cultivators rarely suffered from pellagra, which became common only when corn became a staple that was eaten without the traditional treatment. Of interest, if maize is not so processed, it is a poor source of tryptophan as well as niacin.

Yohimbine: The main component of an African tree bark, yohimbine is probably one of the most problematic of all natural remedies for ED. Some research suggests that yohimbine can improve a type of sexual dysfunction that is linked with a drug used to treat depression. However, studies have linked yohimbine to a number of side effects, which can include anxiety, increased blood pressure, and a fast, irregular heartbeat. Like all natural remedies, yohimbine should only be used after advice and under supervision from a doctor.

Saw palmetto. Saw palmetto comes from the fruit of a small palm tree. It has been used to treat symptoms in men with an enlarged prostate gland, such as difficulty urinating, and it has been recommended to treat ED caused by an enlarged prostate. However, several recent clinical trials did not show that saw palmetto works any better on an enlarged prostate than a placebo does. "There is no evidence that saw palmetto should be used to treat erectile dysfunction," says Dr. Gilbert. Like ginkgo biloba, saw palmetto can interact with some prescription medications.
David Gomes completed his M.S Professional degree in California Institute of Technology. He lives in Oakland, California, USA. He loves to write on a variety of topics such as joint health, weight loss, beauty and skin care for blogs and on-line publication sites. He also loves latest technology, gadgets. You can connect with him on Google+ and Twitter.
Besides, niacin’s beneficial effects became more evident when the Hong Kong study researchers excluded those already using statin therapy. If there is an overlapping effect of these two groups of lipid-lowering agents on endothelial function, this would make sense. Also, chronic statin use could lessen the effect of niacin on endothelial function and hence affect improvement in erectile function.

L-arginine, an amino acid that is naturally present in the body and helps make nitric oxide, supports a successful erection. Nitric oxide is responsible for making the blood vessels relax, which helps sustain an erection for men. A 1999 study, observed the effects of six weeks of high-dose (5 grams/day) orally administered nitric oxide (NO) donor L-arginine on men with organic ED. Thirty-one percent of those who took 5 grams/day of L-arginine experienced significant improvements in sexual function. Burns told Medical Daily, “l-arginine and deer antler velvet” have been the most popular go-to natural treatments for men.

For men who do find themselves suffering from ED, the knee-jerk reaction can be to reach for the Viagra but – while ED tablets are an excellent solution in the short term – there are other treatment options to consider incorporating into your lifestyle on a long-term basis, one of the most straightforward being exercise. Below you’ll find four great ways that exercise may help to treat erectile dysfunction.
Saw palmetto. Saw palmetto comes from the fruit of a small palm tree. It has been used to treat symptoms in men with an enlarged prostate gland, such as difficulty urinating, and it has been recommended to treat ED caused by an enlarged prostate. However, several recent clinical trials did not show that saw palmetto works any better on an enlarged prostate than a placebo does. "There is no evidence that saw palmetto should be used to treat erectile dysfunction," says Dr. Gilbert. Like ginkgo biloba, saw palmetto can interact with some prescription medications.
It’s easy to see how erectile dysfunction subsides with exercise. Not only does it help reduce cardiovascular risk factors, but it’s also been shown to reduce stress, another cause of the condition. The best part is that it doesn’t take much effort to get started on an exercise routine. “When it comes to exercise, there is no one-size-fits-all approach,” co-author Dr. Stephen Freedland said in the release. “However, we are confident that even some degree of exercise, even if it’s less intense, is better than no exercise at all.”
Besides, niacin’s beneficial effects became more evident when the Hong Kong study researchers excluded those already using statin therapy. If there is an overlapping effect of these two groups of lipid-lowering agents on endothelial function, this would make sense. Also, chronic statin use could lessen the effect of niacin on endothelial function and hence affect improvement in erectile function.
One of the keys to addressing erectile dysfunction is improving the functioning of the endothelium, which is the inner lining of blood vessels. Wayne Hellstrom, MD, urology professor at Tulane University School of Medicine says keeping endothelium healthy can help you improve erectile functioning. Cardio training helps with this, as does resistance training. Adding weight training to cardio training increases muscle mass and bone strength helps your balance and stability (which can help prevent injuries) and can help lower blood pressure as well. Improved muscle definition can also be great for self-esteem, and that can’t hurt.
In rare cases, the drug Viagra ® can cause blue-green shading to vision that lasts for a short time. In rare cases, the drug Cialis® can cause or increase back pain or aching muscles in the back. In most cases, the side effects are linked to PDE5 inhibitor effects on other tissues in the body, meaning they are working to increase blood flow to your penis and at the same time impacting other vascular tissues in your body. These are not ‘allergic reactions'.

Yohimbine hydrochloride is the principal alkaloid of the bark of the African yohimbe tree. It is primarily selective for the presynaptic alpha-2 receptor that enhances the central release of norepinephrine1,2 or even epinephrine,3 although the latter is controversial.4 This central action increases sexual arousal2,5 and appears similar to the central alpha-2 adrenergic mechanism that initiates hot flashes.6 Peripherally, yohimbine may partially antagonize norepinephrine-induced contraction of corporeal cavernosal smooth muscle.7,8 The action is that of an antagonist to postjunctional alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, but a direct effect on vascular smooth muscle is also possible.9

Health benefits and risks of copper Copper is an essential trace mineral that occurs in all body tissues. It is vital for a range of body functions including the production of red blood cells and energy, and the maintenance of nerve cells and the immune system. A copper deficiency can be harmful, but too much can be toxic. Learn more about copper here. Read now